By Christine Destefano / MLB.com


Before a player even picks up a bat or glove, a scout will have already done
some evaluations. Since they are looking for players who will be able to play
at the Major League level, several factors go into consideration:

Size/Build:

Is the player going to grow more? What's his body type -- is he long and
lean, or thick and stocky? What's his weight -- is he going to develop more,
or has he fully matured? Since heights on rosters aren't always accurate,
scouts will often get near a player during practice to get a true estimate of
his height. Or watch him next to an umpire, and compare his height.

"Guys with short arms aren't going to have a lot of wasted movement there,"
says one veteran scout. "He'll get to the ball quicker and may have less
holes in his swing than a guy with long arms."

Intangibles:

Does he spend extra time in the cage? When it's 8:30 on a Sunday morning and
it's freezing outside, is he bundled up sitting in the dugout or is he
playing pepper or getting in some running?

"We look for his reactions on called balls and strikes," a scout says. "Does
he go jaw-to-jaw with the umpire? Throw his helmet into the bleachers? Does
he take his 0-for-4 performance in the field with him? We want to see if he
lets things affect him."
One Major League scouting director said with the significant amount of money
invested in top draft picks, teams will often have a player speak to a sports
psychologist.

"They usually just talk to the kid, tell us a little bit about their makeup,"
the scouting director says. "We rely on our scouts to tell us things, too,
but this is just another thing we do to try and protect our potential
investment."

On the field, scouts are looking for how a prospect plays the game.

"Play hard and with passion," the scouting director says. "Don't act like
you've been in the big leagues already. Show me you can throw, show me you
can run. Most of us would do anything to have their ability, so let's see
them use it and enjoy it."


Rating players:

The five tools position players are rated     OFP        Type of player
on are hitting, power, running, fielding     -----  ------------------------
and throwing. When a player has all of       70-80       All-Star, well
these skills, he's considered a "five-tool              above-average player
"' player. Prospects are rated on a scale    60-69       Above average
of 20-80 (or some clubs use a 2-8 scale)     50-59      Major League average
in each of the areas in the present and      40-49       Below average,
future categories, and then the numbers                  fringe player
are averaged to arrive at an Overall Future  30-39      Well below-average,
Potential number, or OFP, which projects             organizational-type player
the level that prospect will play in the Majors.


Speed:

Every scout carries a stopwatch to measure   Left side    Rating    Right side
a hitter's speed to first base. The watch    ---------    ------    ---------
starts the moment the ball makes contact        3.9         80         4.0
with the bat and stops when the batter          4.0         70         4.1
reaches first. The scout then gives that        4.1         60         4.2
player his speed rating.                        4.2         50         4.3
                                                4.3         40         4.4
                                                4.4         30         4.5
                                                4.5         20         4.6
Hitting:

One of the most difficult things a scout has to do is project who will be
able to hit and will who not hit at the Major League level. There are certain
similar qualities found in successful hitters: strength, bat speed, full
extension and follow through after contact, aggressive (hits first good
pitch) and having the ball "jump" off the bat.

"I'm looking for a guy who can get the sweet part of the bat on the ball on a
consistent basis," says one scout.

There are some minor mechanical adjustments that can be made to improve
future performance -- tinkering with a stance, or moving the hands -- that
scouts may note as well. But there are some negative things to be aware of:
fear at the plate (front foot steps away as hitter prepares to swing), hand
hitches in a swing, too much uppercut in a swing and a dead bat (doesn't get
it started).

"I check the rhythm on his approach," says one scout. "Is he chopping an ax,
or is there rhythm with lift to his swing?"

Projecting power potential in high schoolers -- who may not reach the big
leagues for seven or eight years -- is also tricky.

"You gotta get creative with kids who aren't mature yet and who are using
aluminum bats. Maybe he's not going to develop his power until he's 25. But
when does it come? Jeff Bagwell hit four home runs in Class-AA ball. Paul Lo
Duca spent nine years in the minors and now he's showing some power in the
big leagues. It's a tough thing to project."


Fielding:
Middle infielders with a strong arm and plus defensive skills can make it to
the big leagues. Good fielders show quick feet, agility and instincts --
being in the right spot at the right time. Scouts had Derek Jeter's instincts
rated high when he was just a prep shortstop in Kalamazoo, Mich., and he
showed them why after that play against Oakland in the Division Series last
year when he came out of nowhere to flip the ball home.

"To me, that was the epitome of baseball instincts," says one veteran scout.
"That's an 8."

A good fielder's actions should be smooth and graceful -- the guy who makes
it look easy. Outfielders should be able to react quickly, have good range
and anticipate. If a player doesn't get a good jump and is slow reacting to a
play, there's little likelihood he will ever develop into a skilled defender.

Scouts look for specific things at each position:

Catcher:
Tools ranked in order of preference by one Major League scout are fielding,
throwing, hitting, power and running. But a big part of a catcher's job is
intangibles -- calling pitches, managing a staff and being the on-field
leader. "When you're a catcher, you're a full-time babysitter, too," said one
scout. "You have to know what [pitchers are] thinking, and know when to pat
them on the back and kick them in the rear."

First base, third base:
Corner infielders are expected to provide some power to the lineup. A scout
ranks his preference in their tools as: hitting, power, fielding, throwing
and running. "They are run producers, but there are exceptions to every rule.
[Wade] Boggs was more of a scorer, but was still effective in that position."
Third basemen should also have the arm strength to make those long, accurate
throws across the field to first base.

Second base and shortstop:
Fielding, throwing and running are still the top requirements for players at
these positions, but the recent trend as been to see more power at this
position with the establishment of an Alex Rodriguez, Jeter and Nomar
Garciaparra type of position player. "But power is still a later priority,"
says one scout. "He still has to be a good fielder and be able to throw
across the diamond." Agility, quickness, soft hands and instincts are all
things successful middle infielders should have.

Left field and right field:
Run production is key for the corner outfielders. These guys must be able to
get on base and drive in runs. Defensively, since they are making those long
throws to the infield, a strong, accurate arm is a must -- especially in
right field since right fielder must make a long throw to third base.

Center field:
Tools in order of one scout's importance are running and fielding, then
hitting, throwing and power. Center fielders are the quarterback of the
outfield, so they must be able to anticipate and have good range to get to
balls hit out there. Pure athleticism and quickness is something you'll find
in good center fielders -- enabling them to make those over-the-shoulder
catches, or climbing the fence to rob a player of a home run.

In amateur ball, often times the best player on the team will play shortstop
or center field, even though he may not project at that position in the Major
Leagues, so scouts have to evaluate a player's skills and tools and then
decide where he best may fit with a big league club.

"If I see a kid at shortstop with athleticism and running speed, can he move
to a corner position with bat and power? Or will he have to play second base
in the big leagues because he doesn't have the agility of a Major League
shortstop," says a scout. "But if he has enough foot speed and enough bat, he
can play in the middle infield."

Some scouts say it's like figuring out a puzzle -- where can these tools best
fit?

"Look at the kid. He's the best player on team. He's 6-3, 180 [pounds] and
will go up to 205. He's got a little power, so this guy could play third base
or right field. He's got good reactions, so third base isn't out of the
question. It's all about seeing what the individual is like.

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What are professional scouts looking for?
Physical tools + Mental makeup = Prospect


 Pitchers               Catchers                   First Base
 --------------------   ------------------------   -------------------
 Arm Strength - Life    Defense - Can catch        Can hit for average
 Control - Command      Arm Strength- Can throw    Hit with power
 Breaking Pitch         Can hit for average        Defense on field
 Off-speed Pitch        Hit with power             Can throw
 Free & loose actions   Quickness                  Can run


 Second Basemen         Third Basemen              Shortstop
 --------------------   ------------------------   --------------------
 Can hit for average    Can hit for average        Defense - can field
 Defense - can field    Hit for power              Can throw- plus arm
 Plus runner            Defense - can field        Plus runner
 Can throw              Can run Can                hit for average
 Quickness - range      Can throw                  Quickness - range


 Left Field             Center Field               Right Field
 --------------------   -------------------------  --------------------
 Can hit for average    Can hit for average        Can hit for average
 Hit with power         Plus runner                Hit with power
 Can run                Defense - range            Can run
 Defense - can field    Hit with power             Can throw
 Can throw              Can throw                  Defense - can field


Other Non-Tool Factors

1. Size
2. Strength
3. Pro Appearance (clean cut)
4. Aggressiveness
5. Growth potential
6. Habits
7. Dedication
8. Agility
9. Emotional maturity

Once these tools are determined, the player will be placed in the proper
prospect category;

No prospect = 0 - 39 Overall Future Projection
Fringe Prospect = 40 - 49 OFP
Fair Prospect = 50 - 59 OFP
Good Prospect = 60 - 69 OFP
Excellent Prospect = 70 - 79 OFP

Hitting Components

1. Vision
2. Strength (Genetic or artificial)
3. Balance
4. Pitch recognition / Rhythm
5. Decision Time

a.) Barrel speed
b.) Hand manipulation (in zone, out of zone) - barrel to ball example; John
Olerud - Avg. barrel speed, great hand manipulation example; Kirby Puckett -
Great barrel speed, great hand manipulation

Catcher旧 Release or "Pop" Times

1. 1.9 is Major League average for catcher旧 release or "pop" time. All
grades should be based on average, above average or below average.

2. Release time is not always indicative of the grade placed on "Arm
Strength".

Physical Tool Correlation with Position Profile

1. Running times

a.) 60 yd dash
b.) home to 1st - LH hitter, RH hitter
c..) steal time - 1st to 2nd

Pitcher旧 Velocity

1. Jugs / stalker readings
2. Ra-Gun reading

Injuries

1. Surgery
2. Broken bones
3. Glasses / contacts